Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self-identifying optical transmitter for broadcasting a one-way authentication code using light-based communication. The transmitter may include a memory for storing an identifier of the transmitter, a processor for generating a data signal including an identifier of the transmitter, a modulator for receiving the data signal and generating an electrical signal, the modular generating the electrical signal by modulating the data signal. The transmitter may also include a light source for receiving the electrical signal, converting the electrical signal into an optical signal, and continuously broadcasting the optical signal as an optical data transmission stream. The optical data transmission stream may be used to verify that a receiving mobile device is near the transmitter. The transmitter may also include an optical surface for dispersing the optical data transmission stream as the optical data transmission stream is emitted from the transmitter.

Abstract: Systems an methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection.

Abstract: Systems an methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self-identifying optical transmitter for broadcasting a one-way authentication code using light-based communication. The transmitter may include a memory for storing an identifier of the transmitter, a processor for generating a data signal including an identifier of the transmitter, a modulator for receiving the data signal and generating an electrical signal, the modular generating the electrical signal by modulating the data signal. The transmitter may also include a light source for receiving the electrical signal, converting the electrical signal into an optical signal, and continuously broadcasting the optical signal as an optical data transmission stream. The optical data transmission stream may be used to verify that a receiving mobile device is near the transmitter. The transmitter may also include an optical surface for dispersing the optical data transmission stream as the optical data transmission stream is emitted from the transmitter.

Abstract: Systems an methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the present invention data is transmitted in light emitted by a light source by generating a continuous-time data signal and generating, based thereon, a drive signal that provides power to the light source, thereby causing the light source to emit light; variations in the amplitude of the drive signal represent information in the continuous-time data signal. A change in average power delivered to the light source as a result of the variations in the amplitude of the drive signal is detected and power to the light source is adjusted to compensate.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for a method for hiding a camera preview feed of a mobile device application. The method may proceed by the mobile device application enabling an imaging sensor of the mobile device, where the software of the mobile device requires the mobile device application to display the camera preview feed when the imaging sensor is enabled. The method may continue by creating a camera preview surface for displaying the camera preview feed. The method may further continue by modifying the camera preview surface to be hidden from the mobile device user. The method may end by setting the camera preview feed to be displayed on the camera preview surface. In another aspect, the present disclosure further relates to modifying the camera preview surface by resizing the camera preview surface to be one pixel large.

Abstract: A system and related techniques for dimming a solid-state light source are disclosed. The system may be configured to dim the output of a solid-state emitter via a combination of phase-cut dimming and high-frequency pulse-width modulation (PWM) dimming. To this end, the system may include a digital rectification module configured to generate a rectified DC power and a rectified phase-cut signal based on a phase-cut AC signal received from a phase-cut dimmer. The system further may include a microcontroller unit (MCU) configured to measure the duration of low and high states of the rectified phase-cut signal using zero-crossing digital phase-cut detection and output PWM signal(s) based, at least in part, on those measured values. The rectified DC power and PWM signal(s) may be delivered to a DC-to-DC converter, which may output DC power(s) having an intensity based on the rectified DC power and PWM signal(s), causing receiving emitter(s) to dim.

Abstract: Systems an methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection.

Abstract: Systems an methods are provided that disclose providing a positioning service for devices based on light received from one or more light sources. This light based positioning service uses light information transmitted by each light source to determine the position of the device. The positioning information can include three dimension position information in a building that can then be used to deliver services and information to a mobile device. The content delivered to a mobile device can include multimedia, text, audio, and/or pictorial information. The positioning information along with other location or positioning information can be used in providing augmented reality or location aware services. The light sources can be independent beacons that broadcast information in visible light at a rate that is undetectable by the human eye. Content can be retrieved from a server over a communications connection.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self identifying light source including an emitter that produces visible light; and an autonomous modulator in electrical communication with the emitter that automatically and continually modulates the visible light produced by the emitter, wherein the modulated visible light represents an identification code of the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) and further comprises an LED driver that provides a specified voltage and current to each LED in the light source.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self identifying light source including an emitter that produces visible light; and an autonomous modulator in electrical communication with the emitter that automatically and continually modulates the visible light produced by the emitter, wherein the modulated visible light represents an identification code of the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) and further comprises an LED driver that provides a specified voltage and current to each LED in the light source.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure related to a method for modifying a beacon light source for use in a light-based positioning system. In some embodiments, the method includes selecting a modulation scheme for the light source, determining a duty cycle for the light source based on the modulation scheme, the duty cycle having a proportion of time the light source is in an on state and a corresponding proportion of time the light source is in an off state, the proportion of time the light source is in an off state resulting in reduced luminosity of the light source, and supplying additional power to the light source to compensate for the reduced luminosity of the light source by the duty cycle.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the present invention data is transmitted in light emitted by a light source by generating a continuous-time data signal and generating, based thereon, a drive signal that provides power to the light source, thereby causing the light source to emit light; variations in the amplitude of the drive signal represent information in the continuous-time data signal. A change in average power delivered to the light source as a result of the variations in the amplitude of the drive signal is detected and power to the light source is adjusted to compensate.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self identifying light source including an emitter that produces visible light; and an autonomous modulator in electrical communication with the emitter that automatically and continually modulates the visible light produced by the emitter, wherein the modulated visible light represents an identification code of the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) and further comprises an LED driver that provides a specified voltage and current to each LED in the light source.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self-identifying optical transmitter for broadcasting a one-way authentication code using light-based communication. The transmitter may include a memory for storing an identifier of the transmitter, a processor for generating a data signal including an identifier of the transmitter, a modulator for receiving the data signal and generating an electrical signal, the modular generating the electrical signal by modulating the data signal. The transmitter may also include a light source for receiving the electrical signal, converting the electrical signal into an optical signal, and continuously broadcasting the optical signal as an optical data transmission stream. The optical data transmission stream may be used to verify that a receiving mobile device is near the transmitter. The transmitter may also include an optical surface for dispersing the optical data transmission stream as the optical data transmission stream is emitted from the transmitter.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self-identifying optical transmitter for broadcasting a one-way authentication code using light-based communication. The transmitter may include a memory for storing an identifier of the transmitter, a processor for generating a data signal including an identifier of the transmitter, a modulator for receiving the data signal and generating an electrical signal, the modular generating the electrical signal by modulating the data signal. The transmitter may also include a light source for receiving the electrical signal, converting the electrical signal into an optical signal, and continuously broadcasting the optical signal as an optical data transmission stream. The optical data transmission stream may be used to verify that a receiving mobile device is near the transmitter. The transmitter may also include an optical surface for dispersing the optical data transmission stream as the optical data transmission stream is emitted from the transmitter.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to methods and apparatuses for performing a location-based search from a mobile device in a given location including an imaging sensor configured to capture a signal broadcast from a light source and a processor in communication with the imaging sensor configured to receive the signal from the imaging sensor, demodulate the signal to determine an identifier associated with the light source, receive a search query from a mobile device user requesting information relevant to the location of the mobile device, transmit the identifier and the search query to a search service, and in response to the transmission comprising the identifier and the search query, receive the information relevant to the location of the mobile device.

Abstract: In various embodiments of the present invention data is transmitted in light emitted by a light source by generating a continuous-time data signal and generating, based thereon, a drive signal that provides power to the light source, thereby causing the light source to emit light; variations in the amplitude of the drive signal represent information in the continuous-time data signal. A change in average power delivered to the light source as a result of the variations in the amplitude of the drive signal is detected and power to the light source is adjusted to compensate.